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| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
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| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
VANCOUVER – B.C.’s public post-secondary students will have a greater opportunity to enhance their education by studying overseas thanks to two new scholarships, Premier Gordon Campbell announced today at B.C.’s first ever student congress.
“These new scholarships will open doors around the world for B.C. students,” said Campbell. “Providing our students with opportunities to study overseas helps them gain valuable knowledge and experience that will contribute to B.C.’s competitiveness and productivity.”
The $11 million investment, a $10 million endowment fund to establish the One World Scholarship and an additional $1 million endowment fund for the Pacific Horizon Scholarship, will allow students to take part in post-secondary studies, co-op work experiences, internships, and other approved formal or experiential learning activities overseas.
“The One World and Pacific Horizons scholarships will increase students’ cultural awareness and develop an appreciation for global citizenship,” said Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell. “Students have been telling us for a long time that they want to gain international experience as part of their education program, and these scholarships fill this need.”
Depending on the amount of revenue generated by the scholarship endowments, up to 400 One World scholarships worth $1,000 to $3,000 each and up to 50 Pacific Horizons scholarships of $1,000 each will be awarded annually.
The Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society is responsible for managing the endowment and distributing annual funding to B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions to support the scholarship programs, and developing eligibility criteria and application processes.
“The Irving K. Barber British
Columbia Scholarship Society is pleased to manage these international
scholarship programs, which are made possible through endowments provided by
the provincial government,” said society board chair Frank Gelin. “These
scholarships enable B.C. students to gain an international
perspective as part of their studies, which will further enrich their
overall post-secondary education experience.”
British Columbia’s public post-secondary institutions will promote the scholarship programs to their students, set application deadlines, receive and adjudicate student applications and issue scholarships to students who have successfully competed for the scholarships. The scholarships support the province’s Pacific Leadership Agenda by offering more choice for B.C. students.
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contact: |
Press Secretary Office of the Premier 250 213-8218 |
Communications Manager Ministry of Advanced Education 250 952-6400 cell 250 812-7977 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
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